Packages for supporting food items in a toaster are commonly used for cooking various food items. Often these packages are made from inflammable materials such as metal foil (U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,700 to Gstohl and U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,632 to Le Van). The electrical safety of these packages is enhanced with the use of electrically insulating coatings (U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,238 to Scharre and U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,706 to Robinson). The heat transfer of these packages is enhanced with the use of coatings to create thermal radiation absorbing surfaces (U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,064 to Stillwagon). However, these packages typically do not permit browning of a large percent of the external food surface because these packages wholly or substantially enclose the food. Additionally, these packages are still prone to electrical hazards while in conditions of use or misuse by consumers.
Other packages are made of substantially non-conductive materials such as food dough (U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,048 to Uhlig and U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,366 to Zukerman). The dough cooks with the food and minimizes electrical or flammability hazards. However, this material is more fragile than other packaging materials. Special care may be required by the packer when loading food into the package or by the consumer when handling a partially thawed and soft package to prevent damage upon inserting the package into the toaster.
Other packages are made of paper-based material that is moistened prior to toasting (U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,721 to Hawley). The moisture contained within the packaging material protects the material by maintaining the temperature near the boiling point of water while sufficient moisture remains in the package. However, once the moisture is evaporated, the material can quickly degrade and possibly produce smoke, malodor, and fire. It has been found that the coating of a paper-based material with aluminum flake/binder is a good technique for the minimization of paper degradation and ignition under the thermal radiation conditions of a toaster. However, based on testing with a range of toaster types, it has been determined that this method does not sufficiently reduce smoking or malodor in all high temperature or rapid-heating toasters, such as the Procter Silex T620B, where temperatures can exceed 800.degree. F.
US Pat. No. 3,597,238 to Scharre discloses a package for heating strips of bacon in a toaster. Scharre's package would not provide the desired cooking and browning effect for food items because the percent area of the food items exposed to the toaster's radiant heat would be minimal. Additionally, Scharre's package has metal foil which is a potential electrical hazard and is expensive to construct. Also, Scharre's package holds its food items in an upright position; whereas, in the present invention the food items are self-standing.
What has been missing is a package for heating a plurality of substantially upright, in-line food items in a toaster which provides a substantial percent of exposure of the external food surface area necessary for uniform browning of a plurality of food items during heating. Additionally, what has been missing is a package for heating a plurality of substantially upright, in-line food items in a toaster which provides a cost-effective package to substantially minimize the risk of electrical and flammability hazards.